Not Quite the Christmas Eve We Expected
by LadyAlambiel
Summary: Not quite the Christmas Eve...or Christmas...we expected.


Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't...

Summary: Not quite the Christmas Eve...or Christmas...we expected.

A/N: This story is a part of my _A Light in the Darkness_ universe. Enjoy!

**Not Quite the Christmas Eve We Expected**

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I usually liked winter. It had snowball fights and ice skating and building snowmen and drinking hot chocolate in front of a hot fire. A blazing hot fire while snuggled in blankets. And hot chocolate, did I mention the hot chocolate?

A hand clamped down on my shoulder and shook me. "Alambiel!"

The hot chocolate vanished as did the hot fire and anything that was not wet and bone-chillingly freezing. It didn't help that I was currently sitting in the middle of a large snow bank. I was shaken again and this time Oreius leaned in, dark eyes concerned. "Alambiel, look at me, you have to stay awake." He pulled me to my feet, supporting me with a hand beneath my elbow when my numb limbs failed and I nearly fell back into the snow. The night was dark enough now that I could barely see the snow that continued falling but I felt it, mostly. Oreius tightened his grip on my arm and half-urged, half-shoved me forward through the waist-high snow. "Come on, we're not far from shelter, I promise. Walk in my trail, Alambiel."

"I don't think I can feel my feet anymore."

If not for Oreius tensing and increasing the pressure of his grip, I probably wouldn't have realized that I'd spoken my thought aloud. The Kentauri increased the pace, pushing me along a bit faster than I thought I could go.

"Oreius?"

"Almost there. Keep moving."

The wind began to pick up and the snow swirled constantly around us. If we hadn't been running, well, the Kentauri was hurrying, I was busy trying to keep from falling over as I stumbled along beside him. I still managed to fall three different times and it was a struggle to make it back to my feet instead of lying still. The third time I fell, Oreius picked me up and then pushed me back into that stumbling, shuffling run. Finally, thank Aslan, he stopped.

A moment later, he pulled me into a cave where a fire was already attempting to dance even with the wind and snow whistling around the entrance. I frowned. "Who built the fire?"

Oreius looked up from where he was adding wood to the fire, forcing it to build back up, and the sheer alarm in his expression seemed somewhat unwarranted to me.

"What?"

"Your lips are blue." I had just started shaking my head when Oreius took both my hands in his and muttered, "Your gloves are soaked."

"No, I'm fine. Really, all the running you made me do helped. I'm not even shivering anymore."

As soon as I said that, a little voice chimed that I should be as worried by that statement as the Kentauri looked. He had already tugged my gloves off and clamped my hands between his biceps and his sides before I felt him tugging at the clasp of my cloak. Something cracked and ripped then Oreius let my cloak fall to the stone floor. I furrowed my brow, still not feeling very cold but definitely feeling befuddled. "Did you just break the clasp?"

"The cold must have weakened it," he grunted. Then he held my hands between his and blew on them before chaffing them. I wiggled my fingers when the sensation started to cause some discomfort. Oreius looked me over slowly but it wasn't passion that held his focus. He wrapped his hands around my shoulders. "You need to be closer to the fire and I need to get you out of those wet clothes."

I glanced at the fire. "If I get any closer, _I_ might be on fire. Hey!" I grabbed at his arm to keep from toppling over as the Kentauri bent and grabbed my foot, already tugging at the boot. "A little warning next time!" He didn't reply as he tossed one boot and soaked sock in a corner then immediately attacked the other boot. I was starting to think my husband had lost his marbles. "Oreius, what-" I cut myself off as I looked around the cave. "This place looks familiar."

"It should." Oreius straightened then unbuttoned my wool overdress, which was starting to drip everywhere. As he moved around me (and positioned me a little closer to the fire where I was standing on top of a blanket) to unlace the equally soaked underdress, he added, "We've been here thrice now."

"Oh." I knew I knew what he meant by that but by then it was too much to keep my eyes open. I did remember starting to shiver, though. All my mind managed to scrounge up was that shivering was good and Oreius would know enough to let me keep my toes and fingers.

I dreamed that I was under the covers in our bed with the Kentauri's warmth surrounding me. I also dreamed of heavy boots and a man with a cheery face and long, flowing, white beard chuckling to himself as he bent to stir the fire. His fur-trimmed hooded red robe swept the floor as he did so. Then he looked at me and placed his gloved finger against his lips, smiling all the while. Then my dreams took a different twist and I couldn't recall those at all other than they were good and full of light and laughter.

The tantalizing scent of chocolate teased me out of my dreams. Mmm, hot chocolate. Love hot chocolate. I opened my eyes and frowned. There was hot chocolate set out on a silver tray along with a breakfast consisting of bacon, eggs, toast, sweet rolls, and even oatmeal. And a coffee pot was hanging over the fire. But we were in a cave. I closed my eyes, counted to twenty, and then peeked again. Still there. My stomach growled and I really hoped this wasn't a cruel hallucination. Only one way to find out.

"Oreius, I think we had an intruder."

The Kentauri was on his feet immediately, tossing the heavy blanket back and mostly on to me. Then he stopped. He looked around the cave then grinned down at me. "It is Christmas morn."

I plucked at the topmost blanket, a plush, downy coverlet made of plain but sumptuous dark blue velvet. "And Father Christmas found us."

"And brought us what we need," Oreius added as he moved the coffeepot away from the flames.

I tugged the blankets closer, still feeling a bit cold, and gazed around the cave. There were thick pine branches forming a sort of door at the entrance now, allowing the smoke to escape but keeping most of the snow and wind and cold. A stack of logs and kindling had been piled next to the entrance while a burgundy red wool dress rested on the ledge nearest the fire. My stomach growled and Oreius looked at me. "Do not move."

"Why?"

"Because you nearly froze to death and it will be better if you stay put." He bent to brush my hair back then cupped my cheek. "Please allow me to take care of you."

I leaned into his hand, smiling. "All you have to do is bring the tray over here before the food gets cold."

Oreius responded by handing me the hot chocolate.

After we had eaten (and Oreius checked our packs to find that they had also been filled with equally good food...enough to last us several days), I finally coaxed the Kentauri into lying down next to me again. Resting my head on his shoulder, I reached across to take his left hand. "While not quite the Christmas Eve or Christmas I was expecting to spend with you, it's still pretty good."

"Oh?"

I glanced up at him. "Mmmhmm. No Fell came with the blizzard this time. We get to spend some uninterrupted time alone annnnnd we don't have to go to the Christmas Day ball."

The Kentauri laughed, his arm around me tightening. "I believe you are correct, Wife. And if I must be trapped in a cave on our first Christmas together, then I am very glad it is with you and you alone." He paused when I hid my face against his neck. "Although I might change my mind if you continue to stick your cold nose on me."

I giggled. "Or you could just warm me up, don't you think?"

"Minx." Oreius pulled the blankets over us and then whispered in my ear, making me blush just a little, as he tightened his hold around me. Oreius chuckled as he drew back and then kissed the tip of my nose. "Do you know you are perhaps the best gift I have ever received for Christmas?"

"Perhaps?"

"Perhaps." He kissed my cheek. "Probably." He kissed the corner of my jaw. "Almost certainly." He kissed my neck. "Definitely." He kissed the crook of my neck then raised his head, looking at me with the raw emotion that he only showed when we're alone, as he whispered, "Without a doubt, my Alambiel, you are my star." Then he captured my mouth in a passionate kiss that left me breathless.

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**A/N: Please Read and Review! **


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